ORIGINAL VS. IMITATION – Expert Forum on the 50th Plagiarius Awards

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the “Plagiarius” negative award, the expert forum “ORIGINAL vs. IMITATION” took place in Wuppertal, jointly organised by Aktion Plagiarius e.V. and Maiwald. Representatives from industry, trade, design, associations and law firms used the day to exchange views in depth on current questions relating to the protection of intellectual property.

The focus was on strategies for protecting trade marks, designs and patents before national and international bodies, practical experiences with enforcement tools against counterfeits, and best practices in cooperation between companies, in‑house legal departments and external counsel. In presentations and panel discussions, both successful cases and common pitfalls in the fight against product and brand piracy were highlighted.

The programme was accompanied by a curated Plagiarius exhibition, which vividly illustrated how brazenly and precisely original products are copied – and what economic impact this can have. At the subsequent conference dinner, participants had ample opportunity for in‑depth conversations and networking in a relaxed atmosphere.

The forum clearly showed how important consistent IP protection remains even after five decades of Plagiarius – and which new challenges are emerging in the context of global supply chains, digital markets and new technologies.

Our special thanks go to all speakers and participants, as well as to the teams of Aktion Plagiarius and Maiwald, whose commitment, insights and contributions made this forum possible and enriched it in content.